Adding Plastic into Food

Some traders are doubted to use plastic in frying banana. Some traders believe that adding plastic banana will make the fired banana crispier. This news has really shocked Malaysian as fried banana is one of the most popular foods among Malaysian.

Those traders should be blamed for their selfishness. As we all know, plastics when heated will cause a lot of health problems to human body. In order to earn more money by selling more fried banana, those traders are willing to do such harmful thing.

As a consumer, we have the right to get clean and safe food. If anyone has proof on adding plastics to food, please do not hesitate to report it.

Besides that, traders should know that if the food preparation found to be harmful to  consumers' health would result in  the traders getting fined  not more than RM100,000 or jailed not more  than 10 years, or both, under Section 13 (1) of the Food Act 1983.

Report those who use plastic in frying fritters

Read more: 'Report those who use plastic in frying fritters' - Top News - New Straits Times http://www.nst.com.my/top-news/report-those-who-use-plastic-in-frying-fritters-1.44123#ixzz1ss5tCnxl 

KUALA LUMPUR: The Health Ministry has urged the public to report cases of traders who use plastic in preparing crispy banana fritters as alleged by many.

  Its director-general, Datuk Dr Hasan Abdul Rahman, said yesterday unscrupulous traders who  did this would be slapped with a heavy fine.

  "If there is proof of traders doing so, the public should  report  it to the ministry."

  He said food preparation   found to be   harmful to  consumers' health would result in  the traders getting fined  not more than RM100,000 or jailed not more  than 10 years, or both, under Section 13 (1) of the Food Act 1983.

  However, he said according to food technology, adding plastic would not create such a crispy texture.

  He was commenting on  a reader's letter to the editor on the use of plastic in crispy banana fritters published yesterday.

  The letter said that banana fritters tasted better and stayed fresh and crispy even when left outside because they were fried with plastic materials.

   The writer said the information came from an article claiming that plastic materials, such as  plastic bottles or  straws, were thrown into the boiling oil prior to  frying of the fritters.

   Dr Hasan  said health officials would conduct regular inspections on hawkers to ensure that consumers were not sold food that could endanger their health.

Canned food

            Canned foods are now becoming more and more popular around the world so as in Malaysia too. Due to hectic and busy life, canned foods become the popular choices in the household as they are easier to prepare and convenient. However, the safety of canned food should be concerned among consumers.

Here are several reminders for the consumers when they are choosing canned food.

1.  The expired date of the canned food. Consumers should always look at the expired date of the canned food.

2.  The nutrients of the canned food. Even though canned food always labeled as unhealthy food however canned food should at least contains some nutrients. Every canned food produced in Malaysia should have the list of nutrients on it. If there is a can food without the nutrients list, try to avoid buying it.

3.  The ingredients of the canned food. Some people might allergic to certain chemicals or ingredients. Hence, do look carefully the ingredients on it, and choose the safest one.

4.  Do not choose the canned food with its can rusty and corrode. Rusty and corroded can will affect the food inside it and the health of the consumers will be threatened.

5.  Beware of the canned food with an extremely long expired date (more than three years). Those canned food might contain exceeding preservative.

             As a conclusion, be careful when you are choosing canned food. Another advice is that try to avoid eating canned food if you have enough time to prepare meals. J

New law on food labels to be enforced in June

News taken from: http://www.nutriweb.org.my/article.php?sid=70

Date: Monday, January 13 @ 15:27:04 MYT

KUALA LUMPUR: A new law, to be enforced in June, will require food processing industries to comply with compulsory labelling and nutrition claims for certain types of foods.

Announcing this yesterday, Health Minister Datuk Chua Jui Meng said the categories that would come under the new Law on Nutrition Labelling and Claims include bread, dairy products, canned food, fruit juices, salad dressing, mayonnaise and soft drinks.

He said under the new law, nutrition labelling would be compulsory for four types of nutrients namely energy, fat, protein and carbohydrates.

The ministry finds that there are many food products in the market now which claim to have low fat, low cholesterol content and so on,he told reporters at his ministry Hari Raya gathering at the Kuala Lumpur Federal Territory Health Department, at Jalan Cenderasari here.

He said notification on the proposed enforcement of the new law had been distributed to those in the food processing industry since August 2000.

The minister said that information stated by manufacturers on their product labels must be based on scientific facts. If the product is said to contain low cholesterol, the manufacturer must prove that it contains low cholesterol based on scientific facts.

Most of the claims are more oriented towards product promotion and neglect proper principles of nutrition, he said

This could lead to confusion among consumers in terms of the validity of the claim, he said.

Chua said nutrition labelling was important as it provided information on the nutrient level or content stated on the label.

He said the new regulations, which were approved by the Cabinet recently, was based on recommendations from the Codex Alimentarius Commission, the highest international body on food quality and safety standards, which is a subsidiary body of the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation and the World Health Organisation. Bernama

Faber-Castell Malaysia's PVC Free Erasers

News taken from: http://www.faber-castell.com.my/news.php?sp=pvceraser

Faber-Castell Malaysia commenced production of erasers in 1980. Its wide range of remarkably high quality erasers quickly gained momentum, accomplishing a production capacity of over 500 million pieces a year, which made it among the world's largest eraser manufacturers.

True to its philosophy of being innovative and competent towards meeting the expectations of its customers, the company has remained steadfast in anticipating and engaging global and environmental concerns; particularly in child safety and eco-friendly initiatives.

By the turn of the 21st century, there emerged widespread concern over the use of Phthalate in manufacturing, a substance commonly added to plastics - particularly PVC - to increase flexibility and enhance various other features of plastics. It was discovered - over time - when plastics age and breakdown, Phthalates that were introduced to PVC during manufacture were easily being released onto the environment; effortlessly leaching out from products. Compounding this realization was the fact that Phthalates were commonly used in the manufacture of children's toys, among other regularly used household items.

As of 2004, it is estimated that manufacturers produced 800 million pounds of Phthalate per year. The evidence of this was further substantiated by a test conducted by the Centre for Disease Control that revealed a majority of Americans having metabolites of multiple Phthalates in their urine. More alarming to this revelation was the findings of a joint Swedish-Danish epidemiologic team in 2004 and subsequent Bulgarian study in 2008 linking Phthalates to allergies and wheezing in children.

           Following the European Union's move in 1999 to restrict the usage of Phthalates, Faber-Castell Malaysia began initiating efforts towards eradicating the use of Phthalates in the manufacture of its series of PVC erasers. The company shortly introduced its new range of Phthalate-FREE Erasers into the market. As such, when the anticipated European Union ban was finally imposed on the use of Phthalate plasticizer in toys and childcare products in 2005, Faber-Castell was prepared to meet the requirement. The new product was quickly accepted due to its safe features, aesthetics and functionality.

Endeavoring to continually deliver safe and high quality products, Faber-Castell Malaysia resolved to remain vigilant towards advancing environmental and global issues.

The company's prepared stance was eventually met in the wake of global apprehensions towards the manufacture of Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) products.

In the heart of the concern were Dioxin and Chlorine compounds, chemicals that were released onto the environment during the use and manufacture of PVC products. These chemicals were rapidly being linked to cancer and birth defects. What's more, PVC products are not easily recycled; subjecting a substantial amount of PVC products to end up in landfills, indiscriminate burning and disposal. PVC was quickly being singled out by health authorities in Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Germany and the Netherlands; recommending a ban to its unrestricted use.

In response to facilitating environmental protection and general safety, Faber-Castell Malaysia was unwilling to remain idle while awaiting conclusive proof of the effects of PVC. It responded swiftly by putting to work its extensive resources in exploring the use of Thermoplastic Elastomers (TPE). TPE was found to be fully recyclable, safe and more flexible in its original form. The result was the introduction a new range of erasers - PVC-FREE Erasers. The new product range was met with vast enthusiasm, and sparked a string of accolades from both environmental and industrial authorities.

Apart from responding to safety and environmental concerns in the manufacture of its range of products, Faber-Castell Malaysia's commitment to its customers will continue to remain well-rooted. Whether its erasers, pens, pencils or other implements, the company ensures stringent competency levels are met; which have been accredited by ISO 9001: 2000 and ISO 14001 certifications respectively for quality and environmental safety.

So rest assured, when it comes to Faber-Castell products, you can not only expect high quality and functionality, you can be sure it’s safe for you, your loved ones, and the environment.

Released by Technical Department, A.W. Faber-Castell (M) Sdn Bhd,
Center of Competence - Erasers & Gel Pens, Faber-Castell Group of Companies
For more information, kindly contact:
Mr. Mohd Ramzi Yunus at technical@fcmal.com.my
Tel: 603-8024 6363, Fax: 603-80247886

Coca-Cola reiterates product safety

(News from Borneo Post Online)

Coca-Cola reiterates product safety

Posted on January 17, 2012, Tuesday

KUALA LUMPUR: The Coca-Cola company has reiterated that its products are safe and made from ingredients approved for use by local regulatory authorities throughout the world, including Malaysia.

The company said this in a statement yesterday, following concerns in the United States over the orange juice imported from Brazil.

According to the statement, the situation in the US is related to a fungicide that growers used throughout Brazil to combat a disease affecting their fruit.

The fungicide is permitted for use in most countries, including in Malaysia and Singapore, but is not registered for use in the US. — Bernama

Read more: http://www.theborneopost.com/2012/01/17/coca-cola-reiterates-product-safety/#ixzz1r

Safety of helmets

Are you a motorcyclist? Are you using SIRIM-approved helmet? Is your helmet suitable for your head and it is still safe? There are lots of questions to be asking of when you are using a helmet. Helmets help to protect motorcyclist heads when there is an accident happens. However, not all helmets are suitable for motorcyclists. Every helmet is designed based on various functions and needs. Hence, consumers should consult the salesperson regarding the suitable helmets.

Besides that, many consumers don’t know that helmets do have lifespan. Usually, a SIRIM-approved helmet can be used for three years. After three years, consumers are advised to change it. Also, if the helmet has been involved in accident, consumers should replace it with another one to ensure the safety.

Last reminder is that, no matter how good the quality of the helmet is, if the motorcyclists do not fasten it, it will lose it function. So, do fasten your helmets before your ride on your motorcycle.    

Article: Which Plastics are Microwave-Safe

A good article to view on: 

http://www.scn.org/~bk269/plastics.html

Plastic Containers

Well, today, let us talk about plastic safety again. Since we know that polystyrene is not suitable for packed food, then what should we use for our packed food? Most of us will opt from plastic container such as Tupperware, Cosway, Apple Lady and so on. Those plastic containers cost more, but we cannot doubt the benefits that they have brought.

Here are several benefits of using plastic container instead of polystyrene container.

1.  Plastic containers are safer than polystyrene containers.

 As what we have discussed in another post, polystyrene container disposes poisonous elements when it is heated. Polystyrene contains the toxic substances Styrene and Benzene, suspected carcinogens and neurotoxins. On the other hand, plastic containers are safer when they are exposed to heat. The chances for the plastic containers to eliminate poisonous gases are lower if compare to polystyrene containers.

2. Plastic containers are reusable.

Unlike polystyrene containers, we can always reuse plastics containers for different purposes. By doing this, we are giving out forces to help to save our environment from plastics pollution.

3.  Plastic containers can help to keep the food fresh.

Compare to polystyrene containers, plastics containers are more suitable for keeping fresh food. Foods that are kept in polystyrene containers are more likely exposed to the bacteria in the air. On the other hand, plastics containers help to keep the food fresh.

Conclusion:

However, not all plastics containers have the benefits stated above. So, do choose reliable brands for your plastics containers. Some low quality plastic containers might even as danger as polystyrene containers. As a conclusion, spend some time and spend more money and buy a good quality plastic container, it save your life and good for your health.